Cursed
by NinNinKakizaki2015
Summary: It was a burden she carried, yet she didn't want to do it alone. Kirito x Leafa AU.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Sword Art Online or any of its characters.**

The World of Alfheim.

An alternate dimension that exists only in fictitious stories told to little children before bedtime. A land of fairies, mythical creatures, and magic that not even a simple human mind can come to comprehend. A haven where there is no evident concept of death, as everything is reborn from the ashes.

This world is primarily territorial-based, as there are in existence several different races of fairies, all seeking to lay claim to various portions of land. Wars were fought on a frequent basis, leading to tension between the races, all trying to prove which tribe was more superior. And in the end, nothing good has come out of it.

The Sylph tribe was one of the more dominant forces of control over Alfheim, with a history of victories to boast about. Their unparalleled speed in combat was a great asset in battle, taking out their enemies by surprise and occupying the most area in a mere matter of minutes. Of course, no one truly "died" during these raids; only for the "dead" to realize that the Sylphs had beaten them once they had been reborn.

Another one of the strongest tribes in Alfheim was the Salamander tribe, the fairies who wield fire with great ferocity. Led by the great commander Eugene, they were quick to take out their foes, relying on brute force to their advantage. Despite this, they were somehow no match for the Sylphs, and had only occupied one-third of Alfheim; the other two-thirds were rightfully Sylph territory.

However, that did not stop the other tribes from trying to reclaim what was theirs. Rebellions sprung out from time to time, turning what was already a disruptive community into further disarray. Clearly discontent with the comings and goings of its inhabitants, a certain leading figure in the Sylph tribe's inner circle rose up in ranks, and spread his influence throughout the land. From shady business dealings to guerrilla warfare, Oberon had made his presence known, and came into the limelight as Alfheim's absolute ruler.

It was as though no one could stand up to him. Some had challenged his authority. Others tried to "assassinate" him. However, all attempts were in vain, as all perpetrators were swiftly cut down, and once awoken, found themselves under heavy confinement. In other words, there was absolutely no challenging Oberon's rule. Whether it was through some sort of dark sorcery, no one knew for sure, as Oberon had always found a way to come out on top.

"I AM POWER. I AM ABSOLUTE. I AM THE FAIRY KING OBERON!"

….

Years after Oberon's rise to power, rumours of the true heir of the Sylph tribe began to surface, as it was determined that Oberon was not of noble birth. Not that it mattered to him anyway, as there was nothing, no one that had the power to usurp him from the throne….

"Wow, she's really pretty…"

"She absolutely radiates brilliance!"

"And she's a pretty powerful fighter to boot!"

No matter where she went, Leafa continued to receive showers of praise. She never quite understood where the rumours came from, of how she was the true heir to the Sylph tribe leadership role. Nevertheless, she tried to ignore them, minding her own business.

Leafa came into existence from one of the slum districts in Sylph territory alongside her sister Sakuya. Having grown up facing prejudice from members of the other tribes, the sisters were often travelling from place to place; facing many obstacles and eventually learning the ways of combat. Both were powerful fighters, but Leafa was always a step ahead of her older sister, and pretty soon the stories of their exploits were spread across the realm.

Accompanied by their Cait Sith friend Alicia Rue, the trio managed to get into all sorts of trouble. From Wyverns to Golems, Giant Serpents to Dragons; the three of them fought them all. Wherever they went, chaos followed, and they had no choice but to defend themselves.

"Whew. That takes care of that." Alicia Rue placed her dagger back in her scabbard as she made her landing. She made her way towards Leafa and Sakuya, both with their swords still drawn.

"You still sense anything, sister?"

Leafa did a careful sweep of their surroundings, looking out for signs of dangers. After a solid few seconds, she finally sheathed her sword.

"All clear." Leafa breathed a sigh of relief as she slumped down on the side of a cave wall. Sakuya walked over and sat next to her.

"You doing alright?" Sakuya handed her a flask of water.

"Yeah, thanks." Leafa accepted the flask and gulped it down. She was grateful to have a caring sister like Sakuya around, but something had been bothering her for quite some time. Ever since the rumours started to spread across the land, Leafa began to feel this strange sensation of unease.

"Sakuya?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you actually believe them? The rumours, I mean. You know, about us being Sylph nobility."

"What? That again?" Alicia Rue joined in their conversation. "Are you seriously going to let them get to your head like that?"

"But what if it were true? Even if it really did come down to it, why am I getting all the praise? Sakuya was born earlier than I was and…"

But Sakuya raised her hand in a gesture of silence. Leafa took it as a sign of annoyance and tried to apologize, but her sister merely patted her head.

"If you think I ever held you in contempt for being more popular, then you've underestimated me."

"So, you're not jealous or anything?"

"No, and I never will be. You are my little sister after all."

"Aww, ain't that nice and cute…" Alicia Rue chimed in a teasing manner.

"Sakuya, please stop…" Leafa pouted as Sakuya began pinching her cheeks. Pretty soon, the three friends were at ease once more; goofing off and generally having a good time with each other. In fact, they were too invested in their moment of peace that they didn't notice something sneak inside the cave.

"It's getting late, don't you think?" Alicia Rue gazed up at the sky, already turning into a deep shade of blue.

Sakuya let out a huge yawn. "Well, I think it's time to hit the hay. What do you all say?"

"I'm down." Leafa agreed, and brought out a stack of grass they had collected during their travels. She spread it around the floor and once they felt comfortable enough, all three of them dozed off.

….

BOOM!

"Wha…?" Leafa woke up rather groggily before realizing that the cave was on fire. Everything was in a haze; smoke filled the already congested area, and Leafa could only faintly see that both Sakuya and Alicia Rue had been disarmed as forcefully being dragged away by what looked like, Salamander soliders?

"Hey! Let my sister and my friend go!" Leafa grabbed her sword and in a flash, she quickly cut down the four Salamanders that had tried to grab her. Setting her sights on her captive friends, she dashed towards them, only for them to dodge on equal footing.

"What the? Since when were Salamanders that fast?"

"Leafa! Run away! It's you they're after! Don't worry about us!"

"But sister, I can't leave you guys! Hold on, I'm coming!"

She made another dash after them, but mysteriously, the Salamanders disappeared, taking Sakuya and Alicia Rue with them. A moment later, Leafa found herself surrounded by a dozen of them, with their leader in the center… wait, is that?

"Eugene?"

"Sorry Leafa, King Oberon's orders. Don't take it personally."

All at once, the Salamanders launched their fire spells at Leafa, only for her to fly out of the way in the nick of time. Dashing straight back, she cut down two of them at once, before using a wind spell to make some distance between her and her enemies.

A few Salamanders tried to strike from behind, in which Leafa effortlessly blocked with her sword. Aiming a well-timed kick to one of the Salamander's weak point, she ran her sword through another, before striking again.

She dodged another volley of fire spells before Eugene made his move. Leafa barely had enough time to block the attack, only to realize that Eugene's sword completely phased through her own.

Knocked back by the sheer force of Eugene's strength, Leafa collided forcefully against the ground. A little dazed, she managed to roll aside when Eugene came down from above, intent on dealing a "killing" blow.

Never in her life did Leafa ever imagine going head to head with Eugene, who was rumoured to be one of the strongest Salamanders in all of Alfheim. Complete with his Demonic Sword Gram, with the ability to phase through objects; he was to be feared by most fairies.

But why was he working with Oberon? Weren't the Sylphs and the Salamanders at odds with each other? Leafa's thoughts continued to jumble as she quickly dispatched the remaining Salamanders with an explosive wind spell, leaving her to face Eugene one on one.

"Why are you working with Oberon? And what has this got to do with me and my friends?"

"Why you ask?" Eugene laughed in a maniacal way that wasn't true to his character. "You are the rumoured heir to the Sylph tribe aren't you? Naturally, you'd be betrothed to King Oberon, wouldn't you? That's why I have come to take you to him. By force if necessary!"

Leafa had not expected it. Even if she was faster than either Sakuya or Alicia Rue, she couldn't even comprehend the speed at which Eugene approached her. With little effort at all, Eugene had Leafa's sword arm pinned behind her back, carrying the Demonic Sword Gram just inches away from Leafa's neck. Just when did Eugene attain such a huge boost in speed? Was this the work of Oberon?

Leafa was not in a position to struggle. She had already taken a huge blow from that sword. Another one could end her. If only there was an opening, surely she would be able to…..

"GRAGH!"

Eugene let out horrible scream as he was impaled from behind, giving Leafa the opportunity to slip past and deal the finishing blow. Eugene's physical appearance began to deform, vanishing into thin air, before becoming what the citizens of Alfheim knew as a Remain Light; the supposed death state before being reborn.

While Leafa was grateful to whoever came with that surprise attack, her supposed savior did not show themselves. She had heard about this method of combat during her travels, and quite oddly, these tactics were reminiscent of a Spriggan.

Spriggans were never the type to travel in colonies like most of the Sylphs and Salamanders were. They specialized in stealth and treasure hunting, and were rumoured to be not the friendliest types of fairies out there. In and out they went about, minding their own business and sneaking behind others' backs.

However, Leafa sensed that this Spriggan's presence still lingered nearby. Not wanting whoever it was to get away again, she made a grab towards her right, and conveniently enough, she had pinned said Spriggan to the ground, the latter holding up his hands in surrender.

"Alright, alright, I give in! Take it easy!"

One quick glance and Leafa realized who she had pinned underneath her. This was the famed Kirito, a Spriggan mercenary who was said to have bested many creatures in single combat. Leafa and her friends had come across him many times during their travels, yet he never stayed in a single place for long.

"Kirito? What are you doing here?"

"Saving your life? I guess? I don't know, I just can't believe that we actually…"

Both their eyes swayed over to the Remain Light that used to be Eugene. It must've been quite some miracle that they were able to defeat Eugene like that. However, now wasn't the time to pondering over such a matter. The fact remained that the other Salamander Remain Lights were to be revived soon, and that would spell trouble.

"Quick, let's get out of here!"

"Hey! What are you…"

But Kirito ignored her. He grabbed her hand with a wave of his hand, both of them vanished into black smoke.

….

"So let me get this straight. King Oberon only wants to marry me because he believes the rumour that I might of noble Sylph lineage, and by doing so he'll remove all doubt from the citizens."

Several weeks after their initial confrontation with Eugene, Leafa and Kirito had managed to hide out at an inn hidden deep in Leprechaun territory. Leafa was sitting on the bed, while Kirito leaned against a wall with his arms crossed.

"Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. It's all over the place now, mind you."

Great, she thought. Leafa got up and paced back and forth, trying to clear her head. She never wanted to be attached to that rumour. How was it that people thought that she had the right to the throne? Because of this rumour, both Sakuya and Alicia Rue were captured, leaving Leafa alone to fend for herself in the world. If it wasn't for this rumour, then everything would've been normal; Leafa wouldn't have been caught up in this mess.

"Hey Leafa, you okay? You don't look so good."

"Yeah? What about it? Do you think I look okay?" Leafa literally spat at Kirito, frustrated at the situation she was put in. "Do you have millions of Sylphs and Salamanders chasing after you? Are you tied down by some stupid word of mouth about having noble blood? Are you the one who's trapped in a world where you're looked down upon because of the history of your race? It's like I've been cursed for all I care!"

She couldn't take it anymore. It was as though the whole entirety of Alfheim was against her. A curse. A horrid spell placed upon her to prevent her from living a fruitful life. That was how she felt at the moment. That was how she felt throughout her life. And now, it was as though she had nothing.

"Leafa?"

"Don't come near me!"

"Leafa, would you snap out of it for once?"

Kirito was now shaking Leafa by the shoulders, with a look of distorted rage. "Do you think that you're on your own in this? It's why we've been running away all this time! Don't you see? There's no good in going back! Wouldn't it be better if you were free from all that? I mean, after all we've been through….."

There was no doubt that Kirito and Leafa had spent a considerable amount of time together. Evading enemy soldiers, coming across the odd beast every now and then, and even discovering areas that weren't even listed on reliable sources; they had done it together. Leafa had to admit that it wasn't like travelling with Sakuya and Alicia Rue.

"You don't mean to say that you want to go back there?"

"I, um…"

Leafa didn't know what to say. It's not like she didn't enjoy the adventures she had with Kirito. It was just that, this burden she carried in her heart, and the fact that her friends were still trapped in enemy territory; there must have been something that she could do.

And Kirito, after hearing his story, Leafa had come to understand him a little better. He was one of the leaders of the rebellions prior to Oberon's rise to power. While he did not hold prejudice against any race, he was forced on the front lines, using his stealth tactics as well as his undeterminable strength while fighting the Sylph Armed Forces. It was through his battles that he saw his closest friends get taken down in battle, all by some unknown force, only to be used against him.

He has been on the run since, never looking back on his previous life, and never giving it a second thought. It was as though his mind was set on escaping the harshness of reality.

However, this just didn't sit well with Leafa. As much as Leafa enjoyed spending time with Kirito away from the confines of society, she knew she couldn't just sit back and relax while innocent civilians were under Oberon's unwarranted control. It just didn't seem right.

"I'm going back there."

"But why?"

"I'm sorry Kirito." Leafa could only stare at the floor, with a melancholic expression etched across her face.

That did it. Kirito was definitely not amused. As much as he wanted to keep Leafa from harm's way, as much as he wanted her by his side, it was all for nought.

"Fine, have it your way then."

And Kirito left the room.

….

This must have been the eighteenth time Leafa had been marched to the throne room.

Bound in chains and with at least a dozen guards dragging her along, Leafa could only comply with them. Time and time again she had tried to escape, but in the end, it was all in vain.

She could remember all the times she had been stabbed, impaled, and beaten to death. They seemed to be distant memories, yet to Leafa, they were as clear as the bright Alfheim sky. Never before had the thought of death not bring any meaning to her anymore. It was merely a rinse and repeat ritual for all that mattered.

No matter how many times she tried, Leafa would always find herself in a prison cell, having been brought there while she was a Remain Light. Sure, it wasn't that hard to break out of, but the fact that she was killed time after time just for trying to leave the complex; Leafa had begun to lose all hope.

It had finally been decided. Leafa was to be wed to the dreaded King Oberon that very fateful day.

Onwards they marched toward the graciously decorated throne room. Guests have all lined up in an orderly fashion, though it was hard to tell whether they'd been forced to or not.

Leafa could see Sakuya and Alicia Rue standing amongst the crowd. They did not greet her in any way or form; they just stood there, just like everyone else. Whether they were under Oberon's influence or not, nobody could tell.

She could've easily broken out of those chains. She could've easily swiped one of the guards' swords and taken out the dozen guards surrounding her. She could've easily taken flight and escaped through an open window. Why didn't she do it? Why didn't she do any of it?

It was because she had given up.

As powerful as she was, she stood no chance against the sheer numbers of Oberon's forces. After defeating several guards, more than double would take their place. There was just no end to the fighting, and the result would've been the same every time; Leafa's death and rebirth.

Just like how the rumours spread, it was like a curse, bound to her soul for all eternity. As much as she wanted to be free, she continued to remain shackled by the norms of Alfheim's reality, something she could never escape from.

Maybe Kirito was right. Maybe she would've been better off if she'd just kept running away. Coming back in hopes of saving her friends, Leafa only put herself in a bigger predicament. If only she continued following Kirito, she would have been better off. Just thinking about it made Leafa feel miserable, about how much she missed being around him.

"May the bride please step forth."

Leafa was forcibly pushed next to Oberon's side. She could see his ridiculous smirk from the side of his face, clearly enjoying the situation. If he successfully carried through with this marriage, then all hope for Alfheim would be lost. A once free nation would have succumbed to even greater Sylph rule, no, Oberon's rule. With Oberon in power, even the different tribes and races would be no more.

The priest, who also seemed to be under some sort of mind control, went right ahead with the proceedings.

"Do you, King Oberon, take Lady Leafa's hand in marriage, knowing full well that you will take care of her in both prosperity and health?"

"I do."

That was a lie. There was no way Leafa would be happy by Oberon's side. He was only using her as a means to cement his power over Alfheim. And what proof did he have of Leafa being Sylph nobility? She never really understood how the rumours came to be.

"And do you, Lady Leafa, take King Oberon's hand in marriage, knowing full well that you will care for him in both prosperity and health?"

This was it. As much as she didn't want to, it was all over now. Countless times she had tried to avoid this procedure, only for all to be lost. If only someone could save her from this predicament…..

"I….."

"I OBJECT!"

The halls were engulfed by black smoke. There was a scuffle of sorts. Seeing this as an opportunity, Leafa grabbed a stray sword and broke free of her chains. Before she could sort out what was happening, the smoke cleared up, and revealed something that sent the crowds in uproar.

Kirito was standing there, sword in hand, having stabbed Oberon right through the heart. And on the tip of his sword…..

"The Heart of Darkness." Kirito explained. "It allows the user to shroud his surroundings and enforce his influence easily amongst others. Though I have to admit," He scratched his chin in thought, "this really didn't have an effect on either of us huh, Leafa?"

Leafa couldn't believe her eyes. She thought he'd given up on her, but here he was, and with a solution to this mess as well? Who would've thought that Oberon had been using such a powerful dark artifact to impose his will on others?

"ENOUGH!" Oberon forced himself off Kirito's sword while the Heart of Darkness fell to the floor. He tried to make a grab for it, but Leafa was too quick for him.

The dark artifact shattered under the force of Leafa's strike. All at once, those who were under Oberon's control were soon fully aware of themselves, confused as to how they were all gathered here.

"YOU! YOU THINK YOU'LL GET OFF THIS EASILY! I'M NOT DONE YET!"

Doors were blasted apart from all sides, and armies of Sylph and Salamander soldiers came buzzing in, ready to kill any who dared defy their master. It seemed as though despite the curse being lifted, there were still many who followed Oberon of their own will.

Oberon brought out his own sword, the famed Excalibur, and engaged in a duel with both Kirito and Leafa. Gold clashed against steel, as the two warriors mustered as much strength as they could to force the fake king back.

"YOU REALLY THOUGHT YOU COULD END MY REIGN ON YOU OWN? WHAT PATHETIC LITTLE CRETINS! YOU REALLY SHOULD'VE THOUGHT THIS THROUGH!"

"That's where we come in pal!" came a voice from the corner of the hall.

Swinging his sword mightily and bringing down as many enemy soldiers as he could, the Salamander mercenary made himself known.

"Name's Klein! Please to make your acquaintance!"

"And don't forget about me!"

A dull crash came from the other side of the hall, effectively taking out several dozen enemy soldiers. The source of the crash stood up once the dust cleared; a hulking figure with a big heart.

"My name is Agil, of the Gnome tribe! Here to help in any way I can!"

"And don't leave us out too!"

Through another flurry of attacks, another set of enemy soldiers went down, courtesy of Sakuya and Alicia Rue, both who had regained control of themselves. After that bout, Sakuya stood up, and looked in the direction of her sister. They gazed at each other for a while.

"Leafa, I ask you to leave."

"What? But sister!"

"You want to know more about the world don't you? It was always about you wasn't it?" Sakuya then shifted her gaze guiltily towards the ground as she continued to speak. "True, I was jealous when the rumours started to spread, about how you were always better than me, about how you were always one step ahead of me…"

"Sakuya…"

But Sakuya held up her sword and pointed it in her direction.

"So leave this place to us! I'll make sure you have a home to return to once you get back! Now, everyone heed my words! Oberon has been such a tyrannical leader that we fairies have all lost our sense of freedom. Join me now! Take back our land from this monster!"

"This is my duty as your older sister after all."

And Sakuya went back to joined the others to battle. Leafa couldn't believe it. After all they'd been through…

"I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU YET!"

Oberon came down at Leafa with an overhand swing, but Kirito blocked it in the nick to time. Seizing this opportunity, Leafa rammed the flat of her blade against Oberon's stomach, completely winding him.

"You ready Kirito?"

"I'm on it! Let's move Leafa!"

Together, in one fluid motion, both Kirito and Leafa ended the duel with a chop, slash, and stab. Oberon doubled up and screamed in pain, before fading away into a Remain Light; something that should've happened long ago.

That had done it. Oberon was no more, well, at least temporarily.

"We did it!"

"Alright!"

And the two of them high-fived each other.

But that didn't stop the fighting. Pretty soon, an all out war was taking place, despite the leader being taken out. Both Kirito and Leafa agreed on one thing; that there was time to rejoice later. They had to join the others in battle.

However, Sakuya, Alicia Rue, Klein, and Agil all flew over to block their path.

"Hey!"

"What gives?"

"Didn't you hear what I said earlier?" Sakuya asked questioningly. "You guys really should leave."

"We've got this covered, don't you all worry about it!" Alicia Rue added as she grinned and held up two fingers in a friendly gesture.

"You two already had done plenty." Agil bent down and patted both Kirito and Leafa on their heads. "Let the grown-ups handle things over here."

"And if you don't mind," Klein's face turned a little red. "Take really good care of each other! Man, I'm really jealous of you Kirito, managing to nab a hot babe like this…"

"Everyone…." Leafa was at a loss for words. "I don't know what to say."

"Then shall we then?" Kirito stuck out his hand. "Ready to go on another adventure?"

There was no doubt in her mind anymore. This was her single-most greatest desire. Though she would be leaving everything behind, she would always come back here every now and then.

But for now, with Kirito by her side, Leafa felt that she could do anything. The burden was lifted off her shoulders. The cursed disappeared, and Leafa was free to do whatever she wanted.

Taking Kirito's hand, she smiled as a faint blush blossomed among her cheeks.

"Yes, let's go."

And Kirito and Leafa took off to the skies, to journey into the realms unknown.

 **A/N: In an alternate world of Alfheim, Spriggan Mercenary Kirito and Sylph Princess Leafa are happily married, or at least in my headcannon anyway...**

 **Anyways, this is for any of you who happen to ship Kirito x Leafa (not Kazuto x Suguha (I feel there is a difference)). Though, Suguha's confession scene in the anime really did strike me in the feels...**


End file.
